April is upon us, meaning that we’ve officially reached the month of the 2026 NFL Draft. The anticipation grows by the day, especially within the Bears’ fanbase.
This year’s draft is a tougher one to cover from a Chicago-based perspective, seeing as though the Bears pick much later in the first round than they have in years past. That means more variables that go into effect before the beloved are on the clock, which makes it tougher to determine which prospects will be the best players available
at No. 25 overall.
To provide as broad of an understanding as possible about potential options for the Bears, I’ve decided to rank my preferred choices in Round 1 and break them up into tiers. I’ve removed some of the consensus top players from consideration, but I wanted to look at players who could project as good value picks for Chicago this year.
The best player available approach comes with an asterisk, as the Bears wouldn’t take a quarterback or a tight end if that were to be the top player on their board. I’ve narrowed these choices down to the following positions, which I believe to be needs on Chicago’s roster to varying extents:
- Defensive end
- Defensive tackle
- Safety
- Offensive tackle
- Cornerback
Center would fit in the mix and is arguably a bigger need than offensive tackle or cornerback, but with no center options projecting as first-round picks, that position won’t be represented in this conversation.
Without further ado, these are my rankings and tiered-off preferences for the Bears’ first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Tier 1: Unlikely to fall
1. Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
With a short wingspan and a dip in production in 2025, Peter Woods could experience a drop come Draft Day this year. However, in a class full of specialists at defensive tackle, I think he’s the only one who’s explosive enough as a pass rusher and consistent enough as a run defender to be a three-down starter quickly in the NFL. There’s a reason he was my choice for the Bears in Round 1 of my latest three-round mock draft at PFSN.
2. Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami (FL)
Akheem Mesidor will be 25 by the time the draft kicks off, which could knock his stock down a bit. I feel confident in saying, though, that he would be a top-ten pick in the 2026 NFL Draft if he were two years younger. He’s a powerful, crafty edge rusher with a deep arsenal of moves to shed blocks and the physicality needed to set the edge in the run game. If you’re looking for a pro-ready defensive end, Mesidor is your guy.
3. Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
One of the few natural left tackles at the top of this class, Caleb Lomu is a natural athlete along the offensive line. He’s a coordinated, mobile pass protector who takes good angles with optimal body control blocking on the move. He lands his strikes with good timing and accuracy, and though he isn’t the most powerful lineman out there, he does more than enough to lock out defenders at the point of attack.
4. Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
With an elite Pro Day that included a 4.38 40-yard dash, Jermod McCoy answered any questions there might’ve been about his retained athleticism after suffering a torn ACL. He missed all of 2025 due to the injury, but his 2024 tape was tremendous. He has a 6’5” wingspan with impressive movement skills, displaying quick processing in coverage and ideal explosiveness coming out of his breaks.
5. Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
Dillon Thieneman is an explosive, intelligent, versatile defensive back who should end up selected in the top 20 by the time the first round is all said and done. His ability to play as a deep safety, in the box, and in the slot with high-level instincts in all alignments is impressive. His downhill speed and ball-tracking skills give him plenty of value as a disruptor in coverage, and he’s an aggressive tackler who can make big hits.
Tier 2: Favorable options
6. T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson
Similar to Woods, T.J. Parker also suffered a dip in production in 2025. That said, there’s plenty to love between his last two seasons of tape. He’s a physical tone-setter off the edge with good play strength and the ability to convert speed to power. He has the short-area quickness to threaten with speed, but it’s his refined hand work and his power that should make him a good starting edge rusher in the NFL.
7. Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri
It’s always encouraging when a player has a linear growth pattern at the collegiate level. That was the case for Zion Young, who consistently got better each year and capped things off with a strong 2025 season for Mizzou. His relentless motor, play strength, and physical measurements should entice teams late in the first round, and though he’s not the bendiest defender in the world, I think he’s more explosive on tape than many give him credit for.
8. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
Being a Group of 5 safety with average speed testing at the Combine could hurt him a bit, but Emmanuel McNeil-Warren checks a ton of other boxes at his position. The nearly 6’4” defensive back is a big, physical safety who hits hard and can tackle in the box while covering underneath. His ball skills allow him to make plays in coverage, and the flashes he’s shown as far as his range in coverage go are very encouraging.
9. Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
Another top prospect whose production dropped in 2025, Keldric Faulk is a bit raw but has elite physical attributes. He’s 6’6” and 278 pounds with 34 3/8-inch arms, and that size and length helps him out through contact. He has impressive power that’s maximized by his large reach and ability to keep blockers away from his chest, and he has great size-adjusted quickness. The bend and counter work as a pass rusher need improvement, though.
10. Christen Miller, DT, Georgia
Georgia rotates their defensive linemen pretty heavily, so Christen Miller is somewhat unproven as a pass-rushing defensive tackle. He’s shown flashes in that regard, however, and his spatial awareness and physicality as a run defender could see him crack the first round. Besides Woods, Miller is the defensive tackle I feel the best about being a three-down contributor in Year 1.
11. Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
Blake Miller is a natural right tackle, so the Bears would need to go through a similar transition period as they did with Ozzy Trapilo last offseason. However, he’s a lengthy, experienced tackle with a good combination of power and technically-sound hand work on tape, and he tested well enough to show that there’s plenty of athletic upside that could be further tapped into.
Tier 3: Great players, questionable scheme fits
12. Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
As far as run-defending defensive tackles go, Kayden McDonald might be the best of the bunch. He doesn’t fit the disruptive, explosive mold that Dennis Allen historically likes along the interior, but he has met with the Bears, which indicates some level of interest. He is a powerful defender with great grip strength, a sturdy anchor, and an ability to stack and shed blocks against the run. McDonald ranks higher on my overall board than a good handful of players in Tier 2, as do a few other people in Tier 3. However, the average athleticism makes him an average scheme fit, at best.
13. Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
At just under 6’3” with arms that are only 30 1/4 inches long, Cashius Howell doesn’t have the length or size that Allen typically prefers at defensive end. He’s likely a better fit in a base 3-4 system as a stand-up edge rusher than he is in a system like Chicago’s. His lack of size and length can hurt him as a run defender, but he’s an explosive, crafty pass rusher with the flexibility to turn the corner and the deep arsenal to win off the edge in a variety of ways.
14. Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
I project Avieon Terrell staying in the slot at the NFL level, which hurts his fit for the Bears, barring a move of either him or Kyler Gordon outside. There’s a little inconsistency with Terrell’s tape, but when he’s on, he’s super sticky in coverage. He fits the bill athletically and has the route recognition needed to stay stride for stride with a lot of the wide receivers he goes up against.
15. D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
If D’Angelo Ponds were two inches taller, he might be the top cornerback selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. A lot of concern comes from the fact that he’s just under 5’9” and 182 pounds with 29 3/8-inch arms. He doesn’t have ideal size for a cornerback, but he makes up for it with elite speed, fluidity, leaping ability, ball skills, and instincts in coverage. Allen might see him as a nickel in a similar manner to Terrell’s situation, though.
16. Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech
He didn’t test incredibly well at the Combine, but Lee Hunter’s tape should overshadow the athletic testing when evaluating him as a draft prospect. His technique as a run defender could improve a bit, and his raw speed might not be up to Allen’s standard, but he’s still a freakish nose tackle with encouraging closing speed in space, impressive raw power at the point of attack, and really good flashes when he gets his hands and pad level right.
Tier 4: Risky territory
17. Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
When Kadyn Proctor is on, he’s on. He’s a gigantic tackle at 6’7” and 353 pounds with long arms and elite raw strength. His anchor is extremely strong, and he can drive defenders off the ball with ease. However, he lacks mobility in pass protection and doesn’t land his strikes consistently. Those issues can expose him in space, which could give him a steep learning curve as a pass blocker in Year 1.
18. Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
There’s no denying that the 6’6”, 321-pound Max Iheanachor is a physical specimen. He was a soccer and basketball player in high school, and that background shows in how quick his feet are in pass protection, both in his kickslide and in how he changes direction. His physical tools are elite, but his hand placement can often be a bit too late and/or wide, and his pad level can provide issues for him leverage-wise. Iheanachor’s inexperience can show up on tape, and he’s also a natural right tackle.
19. Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF
As a second-round option, I would love Malachi Lawrence for the Bears. He’s a freak athlete off the edge with good length and ideal hand quickness rushing the passer. He’s not a consistent run defender at this stage, however, as inconsistent pad level and middling instincts against the run make it tough for him to set the edge. He’s a great rotational edge rusher in Year 1 with a high ceiling, but as a first-round pick, there’s plenty of risk attached.
Who do you think the Bears will end up with if they stay at 25?
